Coin selector



NOV. 28, 1939. MILLS 2,181,818

COIN SELECTOR Filed 001;. l, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 28, 1939. B E. MILLS 2,181,818

COIN SELECTOR Filed Oct. 1, 1937 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 28, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COIN SELECTOR of Illinois Application October 1, 1937, Serial No. 166,765

4 Claims.

This invention relates to coin selectors of the material-testing type employing a magnetic field, and has as its object to provide a selector for separating Canadian nickels from other types of coins and slugs.

Canadian nickels have a high nickel content. Nickel is sufficiently magnetic to be classed as a paramagnetic substance, although it is not as strongly magnetic as iron or steel. Accordingly,

U the chief purpose of the present invention is to provide a selector which will effect a separation between paramagnetic coins, slugs, etc. of varying magnetic quality, as well as efiecting separation between paramagnetic coins and diamagnetic or non-magnetic coins, slugs, etc.that is, the Canadian nickels must be selected from both coins and slugs having stronger magnetic properties and coins and slugs that are diamagnetic or non-magnetic. To this end, the invention provides an arrangement in which the coins and slugs are rolled past a magnet which allows the diamagnetic or nonmagnetic coins, slugs, etc. to continue past, in a relatively straight path, which swings the Canadian coins out of said path into a path substantially at right angles thereto, but allows them to pass on, and which completely stops and holds the iron and steel slugs.

I have discovered that by positioning a magnet so that the coins may roll in direct contact with one of its poles, such separation may be efiectively attained. The most successful arrangement is one in which a coin rolls against the end face of a pole, said end face forming the :15 bottom of an inclined passage for confining the coin in an upright position. Another effective, although less efficient, arrangement is one in which the side face of the pole forms the bottom of the inclined passageway.

4 Another object of the invention is to provide means for adjusting the strength of the magnetic field so as to properly adjust the balance between the diverting effect of the magnet on the Canadian. nickel and the arresting effect upon the iron and steel slugs. It will be understood in this connection that if the magnetic field is too strong, the Canadian nickels, as well as iron slugs, may be completely stopped, whereas if the field is too weak, iron slugs, as well as Canadian nickels, may pass on into the Canadian nickel outlet.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from consideration of the following detailed description of the invention in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a coin selector embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical, longitudinal, sectional view of a portion of the same;

Figure 3 is a rear elevation of the same;

Figure 4 is a vertical, transverse, sectional view, taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a similar View, taken on the line 5--5 of Figure 3; and

Figure 6 is a detailed perspective view of the 10 magnet, the adjusting block, and a coin rolling on the magnet.

A selector constituting an illustrative embodiment of the present invention is shown in the drawings and includes a vertical base plate Ill 15 which carries the various passage-forming and control members. Mounted in an opening II in the plate It, is an elongated horseshoe magnet l2, its poles l3 and 13a. projecting upwardly. The longitudinal axis of the magnet I2 is somewhat g0 inclined from the horizontal so that the upper face Ma of its pole 13a may form a portion of the bottom of an inclined passage I5 down which the coin I6 is adapted to roll. The remainder of the bottom of said passage is formed by a block il secured at l8 to the plate l0, and the sides of the passage are formed respectively by the plate 10 and a scavenger gate H3.

The coins enter the passage l5 through a vertical passage I9 extending downwardly from the coin inlet 20.

Beyond the lower end of the magnet I2, the passage l5 branches into two passages, one of which is indicated at 2| and extends downwardly along the end of the pole l3a, said passage 2| being formed between the end of the pole [3a, the plate ID, the side wall of the coin chute indicated at 22, and an upturned portion '23 of a bottom flange 24 of said chute 22. The chute 22 bends laterally beneath the magnet 42 and conveys the accepted coins toan outlet 51.

The other of said branching passages is marked 25 and extends beyond the passage 28, between the plate Ill, the lower end 26 of a scavenger chute 21, and the upturned portion 23 of the 45 flange 24. The passage 25 receives the diamagnetic coins, which, in rolling through the passage i5, obtain sufficient momentum to jump over scavenger chute 21 by scavenger mechanism, which will hereinafter be more fully described. At this point, it may be noted that the scavenger chute 2'! lies in a plane offset laterally from that of the acceptable coin receiving chute 22, and from the fiange 23 upwardly to the upper end of the scavenger chute a partition wall 55 (Figure 4), formed as a continuation of the outer wall of the chute 22, separates the chute 21 from the passages l5 and 2|.

Canadian nickels, as they roll along the face Ma of the magnet, will be slowed down and caused to follow downwardly along the end face 35 of the pole piece 13a as indicated by the broken line H.

Thus the Canadian nickels will be caused to travel through the passage 25 into the acceptable coin receiving chute 22.

I find that suflic'ient magnetic attraction between the coins and the magnet can be secured by allowing the coins to roll in direct contact with the end face of the elongated pole of the magnet, so that weakly paramagnetic coils, such as Canadian nickels, may be caused to follow around the end of the magnet and be thus diverted out of the trajectory which carries the diamagnetic coils across the gap at the upper end of the passage 2! and into the passage 25, and to completely arrest all highly paramagnetic slugs, such as those of iron and steel.

It is also possible to secure such separation by rolling the coins against the side faces 32 of the magnet, the magnet being positioned with this side uppermost, but such arrangement is not as effective as that shown.

The magnet 12 is mounted in a U-shaped bracket 33 having end portions 34 and 35 and ears 36 and 31, by means of which the bracket is secured at 38 to the plate It]. The magnetis clamped between the end portions 34 and 35 by means of a bolt 43 which extends between the poles of the magnet.

The end portion 35 is extended upwardly as at 39. A block 2-0 of iron or steel is adjustably secured by means of a screw M passing through: a slot :32 in the extension 39 and threaded into said block. By loosening the screw M, the block 50 may be adjusted transversely of the pole faces [4 and Ma. Normally, it extends across the pole face it and partly across the pole face Ma, leaving a space through which the coin it may pass. The width of this space and the width of the area of contact between the block and the face Ma, determine the strength of magnetic attrac tion between the coin and the magnet, since said block Gil serves to short the magnetic flux of the magnet proportionately to such area of contact. The greater the area of contact, the more the magnetic field is reduced at the upper end of the magnet.

It may be noted at this point that the adjusting block is located at the upper end of the magnet so that it exerts a controlling effect upon the retardation of the coin in the early stages of its travel upon the magnet, but has little or no effect upon the divergence of the Canadian nickels around the lower end of the magnet or the arresting effect of the lower end of the magnet on the iron and steel slugs. of the device can be much better adjusted with this arrangement than if attempt were made to vary the strength of the magnetic field at the lower end of the magnet.

The scavenging mechanism for dislodging the iron and steel slugs comprises a kicker M pivoted at 45 to a bracket 46 mounted on the plate I find that the selectivity W, said kicker having a foot 41 which projects through the opening H just above the faces of the magnet. The upper end of the kicker 44 projecting above the pivot 45 at 48, is engaged by a cam 49 mounted on a shaft 50 journaled in ears 52 of the plate Ill, and having a lever 53 carrying a pin 54 adapted to be connected to suitable operating mechanism. Oscillation of the shaft 50 causes the cam 49 to engage the extension 48 and cause the kicker 44 'to move from the dottedline position to the position shown in full lines in Figure 5, whereupon the foot 41 will push the steel slug 55 from the magnet into the scavenger" chute 27.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, but the appended claims should be construed as broadly as permissible in view of the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a coin selector for paramagnetic coins, means for efiecting separation of coins of intermediate paramagnetic qualities from slugs of higher paramagnetic qualities comprising a selector chute adapted to receive coins to be tested, a horseshoe magnet the pole faces of which are elongated in a direction perpendicular to theplane of the magnet, one of said faces extending longitudinally of said selector chute and forming the bottom therefor, said face being substantially longer than the diameter of a Canadian five-cent coin, a discharge chute adjacent said magnet for receiving coins which are substantially retarded by the magnet, and a second discharge chute for receiving coins which are not substantially retarded by the magnet.

2. In a coin selector for paramagnetic coins, means for effecting separation of coins of intermediate paramagnetic qualities from slugs of higher paramagnetic qualities comprising a selector chute adapted to receive coins to be tested, a horseshoe magnet having pole faces which are elongated in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the magnet, one of said faces extending longitudinally of said selector chute and forming coins which are substantially retarded by the" magnet, and a second discharge chute for receiving coins which are not substantially retarded by the magnet.

3. In a coin selector for paramagnetic coins, means for effecting separation of coins of intermediate paramagnetic qualities from slugs of higher paramagnetic qualities comprising a selector chute adapted to receive coins to be tested, a horseshoe magnet the pole faces of which are elongated in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the magnet, one of said faces extending longitudinally of said selector chute and form'- ing the bottom therefor, said face being substantially longer than the diameter of a Canadian five-cent coin, a discharge chute adjacent said magnet for receiving coins which are substantially retarded by the magnet, a second discharge chute for receiving coins which are not substantially retarded by the magnet, and scaveng-- ing means for removing from the selector chute slugs or like articles which are arrested by said magnet, and for causing discharge thereof from the device.

4; In a coin selector for paramagnetic coins, means for eifectin'g separation of coins of intermediate paramagnetic qualities from slugs of higher paramagnetic qualities comprising a selector chute adapted to receive coins to be tested, a horseshoe magnet the pole faces of which are elongated in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the magnet, one of said faces extending longitudinally of said selector chute and forming the bottom therefor, said face being substantially longer than the diameter of a Canadian five-cent coin, a bridge of conductive materialextending between the pole faces of said magnet and being adjustable to vary the magnetic attraction of the latter upon the coins, a discharge chute adjacent said magnet for receiving coins which are substantially retarded by the magnet, and a second discharge chute for receiving coins which are not substantially retarded by the magnet.

, BERT E. MILLS. 

